Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- disturbing
- prescient
- political thriller night
- serious movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the ensemble, especially Diane Lane and Dylan O’Brien, and found the thriller bold and gripping, while some faulted its political abstraction, uneven tone, and streamlined treatment of authoritarianism.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Taylor family’s breakdown mirrors the rise of The Change and the erosion of freedom in the country.
The movement envelops the family gradually, transforming everyday relationships and social standing.
The Change is presented as a broad sociopolitical movement, deliberately avoiding explicit political specificity.
The family’s annual gatherings organize the progression of ideological radicalization and family breakdown.
Films like Anniversary, and why
The Invitation
political paranoia, social conformity, and escalating authoritarian pressure
The Celebration
family disintegration used to examine ideological extremism and national crisis
The Manchurian Candidate
domestic unease, political polarization, and a destabilizing ideological movement
The Handmaid's Tale
prescient dystopian anxiety and authoritarian control rendered through psychological tension
Movie Details
- Director
- Jan Komasa
- Release Date
- 2025-10-29
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (201)
Cast
- Kyle Chandler
- Diane Lane
- Zoey Deutch
- Daryl McCormack
- Phoebe Dynevor
- Dylan O'Brien
- Mckenna Grace
- Madeline Brewer
- Selda Kaya
- Sky Yang
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Anniversary about?
- A family’s celebratory reunion becomes a pressure cooker when an alluring authoritarian movement reshapes the nation and turns loved ones against one another.
- What is Anniversary like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Anniversary as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Anniversary violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Anniversary as mild.
- What did critics think of Anniversary?
- Critics broadly praised the ensemble, especially Diane Lane and Dylan O’Brien, and found the thriller bold and gripping, while some faulted its political abstraction, uneven tone, and streamlined treatment of authoritarianism.
- Which films are like Anniversary?
- Films with a similar feel include The Invitation, The Celebration, The Manchurian Candidate, and The Handmaid's Tale.
- How long is Anniversary?
- Anniversary runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch Anniversary?
- In United States, Anniversary streams on Hulu.
